Brooklyn Cyclones Come Up Short Against the Grasshoppers

From the desk: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Greensboro vs. Brooklyn

I - BKN 6; GRB 5

II - BKN 9; GRB 0

III - GRB 6; BKN 5

Greensboro Grasshoppers Notch First-Ever Victory Against Brooklyn Cyclones

Brooklyn got things going when Rowdey Jordan scored on an E-6 in the first.  In the second, center fielder Jaylen Palmer scored on a fielder's choice, and Jose Peroza's two-run home run in the third staked starter Luis Moreno to a 4-1 lead after three.  The score remained unchanged until the sixth, when Greensboro pulled within two.  Making his sixth start with Brooklyn, Luis Moreno exited on the winning side after allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and one walk in 5.2 innings.  The Grasshoppers tallied once against reliever Brendan Hardy in the seventh.  Facing Justin Courtney in the top of the eighth, Grasshopper designated hitter Abraham Gutierrez struck the decisive blow, a three-run home run to left/center.  Second baseman Nic Gaddis tripled and scored on a wild pitch in the ninth, but the Cyclones would tally no more.  Luis Moreno escaped with a no-decision while Justin Courtney blew the save and took the loss.  BOXSCORE

Brooklyn Cyclones Fizzle on the Fourth Against Aberdeen Ironbirds

From the desk: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Aberdeen vs. Coney Island

I - ABD 3; BKN 1

No Fireworks From Cyclones Lineup

Plenty of hot dogs were served at Nathan's Original earlier in the afternoon but hardly a hit to be mustered just a few hundred feet away at the Surf Avenue ballpark.

Brooklyn starter Junior Santos allowed single runs in the first and seventh innings on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts in a tough-luck loss.  Aberdeen scored once more against reliever Brendan Hardy in the eighth, and Sammy Tavarez struck out the side in the ninth.

In the fourth inning, Nic Gaddis drew a one-out walk and eventually scored on a wild pitch.  Otherwise, the Cyclones managed just three hits by JT Schwartz, Matt O'Neill, and Jose Peroza.  They drew seven walks but left ten runners on base and were 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position.

Brooklyn Cyclones Open Second Half With Series Victory Over Jersey Shore

From the desk: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

BATTLE OF THE BEACHES

Jersey Shore vs. Coney Island

I - BK 4; JS 3

II - JS 5; BK 3

III - BK 3; JS 1

IV - BK 2; JS 1

V - BK 6; JS 2

VI - BK 3; JS 2

Cyclones Take Sunday Finale; Bullpen Closes Out Strong Series Performance

Yet another pitching duel unfolded at Coney Island on Sunday afternoon.  

The Blue Claws and Cyclones entered the eighth inning tied at two with only four and three hits, respectively.  Catcher Nic Gaddis doubled home Brooklyn's first run in the opening frame, and JT Schwartz scored on a wild pitch in the fourth.  Jersey Shore recovered with two runs in the fifth.

Brooklyn put the potential go-ahead run at second base with one out in the home eighth but left him stranded.  In the top of the ninth, right fielder Joe Suozzi threw out the potential tying run at the plate to preserve the tie.

In the bottom of the ninth, designated hitter Matt O'Neill singled home Jose Peroza with the winning run.

Making his third start with Brooklyn, Luis Moreno allowed two earned runs on three hits and two walks with three strikeouts in a no-decision effort.

The bullpen once again performed brilliantly.  Right-hander Brendan Hardy allowed no runs and no hits with two strikeouts in 1.1 innings, and Carson Seymour allowed no hits in two scoreless innings pitched.  Both pitchers graduated up from St. Lucie this season.  Brooklyn mainstay Justin Courtney 

threw a scoreless ninth to earn his fourth win this season.

With the victory, the Cyclones win their third straight, take the series from Jersey City five games to one, and begin the second half of the season with a 3-0 record.

Brooklyn Cyclones Dismantle Bowling Green Hot Rods

From the desk: THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Brooklyn vs. Bowling Green

I - BK 11; BG 9

II - BG 8; BK 0

III - BG 5; BK 1

IV - BK 20; BG 6

They Did The Mash ...

The Cyclones took out their season-long frustrations Friday night against the Bowling Green Hot Rods.

Right fielder Joe Suozzi homered, leading off the first.  After Rowdey Jordan homered leading off the second, Suozzi delivered home two more runs, and Nic Gaddis, in turn, drove home Suozzi for a 5-0 Brooklyn lead.

Bowling Green scored once in the bottom of the third, then rallied for four runs in the fourth, tying the game at five.

Starter Daison Acosta allowed five runs on six hits and no walks with four strikeouts before being relived after the fourth.

Catcher Matt O'Neill homered, leading off the home fifth.  Gaddis again delivered home Suozzi giving the Cyclones a 7-5 lead.  Afterwhich, center fielder Jaylen Palmer connected on a three-run home run.

But the Cyclones were only warming up.  The Brooks posted ten runs in the top of the sixth on six hits and four walks, a hit by pitch, and an error.  With one out, designated hitter Brandon McIlwain homered to left/center with two on.  It was the Cyclones' fifth home run of the game. 

Coney Island cranked out 20 runs on 19 hits, with seven going for extra bases.  They drew six walks and struck out ten times.

Right-hander Brendan Hardy pitched two innings in relief of Acosta for the win and Grant Hartwig 

pitched the final three frames with four strikeouts for the save.

Brooklyn Cyclones Suffer Bullpen Implosion Against Wilmington

From the desk: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Wilmington leads Brooklyn; 1-0

I - WIL 12; BKN 5

Jesus Vargas Masterpiece Defaced By Bullpen

Tuesday's series opener against Wilmington featured an outstanding performance by Cyclones starter Jesus Vargas who pitched five perfect innings before yielding a leadoff hit in the sixth.  Afterwhich, Vargas retired the next three Blue Rocks batters consecutively.  He faced 19 batters, throwing 72 pitches with 44 (61.1%) going for strikes, and issued no walks while striking out eight through six innings pitched.  Jesus Vargas exited on the winning side of a 3-0 affair.

Right-hander Nolan Clenney took over pitching duties in the seventh and promptly surrendered a run in a portent of things to come.  The Cyclones scored twice in the bottom of the frame for a 5-1 lead.  But Nolan Clenney, in the eighth, walked the first two batters he faced and was relieved by Colby Morris, 

who loaded the bases with a walk and then yielded a bases-clearing double by designated hitter Drew Mendoza.  Brooklyn's third reliever Brendan Hardy fared no better, allowing three runs on four hits.  Wilmington would post ten runs on just four hits and six walks in a disastrous eighth inning implosion.  

Not yet done, the Blue Rocks scored again in the ninth for a 12-5 lead and their final margin of victory.

First baseman JT Schwartz finished 3 for 5 with a run batted in, and Rowdey Jordan went 2 for 5 with two doubles and a pair of runs batted in.  Together they accounted for half of Brooklyn's ten hits.  Meanwhile, the lineup struck out another dozen times.

Colby Morris was charged with both a blown save and a loss.